A Delta-f Monte Carlo method to calculate parameters in plasmas

A Monte Carlo code has been developed which very efficiently calculates plasma parameters, such as currents, potentials and transport coefficients for a fully three dimensional magnetic field configuration. The code computes the deviation, f, of the exact distribution function, f, from the Maxwellian, {dollar}F\sb{lcub}M{rcub},{dollar} with {dollar}\psi{dollar} the toroidal magnetic flux enclosed by a pressure surface and H the Hamiltonian. The particles in the simulation are followed with a traditional Monte Carlo scheme consisting of an orbit step in which new values for the positions and momenta are obtained and a collision step in which a Monte Carlo equivalent of the Lorentz operator is applied to change the pitch of each particle. Since the {dollar}\delta f{dollar} code calculates only the deviations from the Maxwellian rather than the full distribution function, it is about 10{dollar}\sp4{dollar} times as efficient as other Monte Carlo techniques used to calculate currents in plasmas.;The {dollar}\delta f{dollar} code was used to study the aspect ratio and collisionality dependence of the bootstrap current and two Fourier components of the Pfirsch-Schluter current. It was also used to calculate electric potentials within magnetic surfaces due to the explicit enforcement of the quasi-neutrality condition. The code also calculated transport coefficients for the ions and electrons under various conditions. The agreement between the values predicted by the code for the plasma currents and analytic theory is excellent. The transport parameters calculated for the ions and electrons are in qualitative agreement with values predicted from neoclassical transport theory, including transport induced by a toroidal ripple. The in-surface electric potentials induced by explicitly enforcing the quasi-neutrality condition are too small to significantly enhance transport across the magnetic surfaces

Katarzyna Szmigiel, Regionalne po co i z kim? Relacje międzynarodowe samorządów województw, Warszawa 2009, GEOPROFIT, ss. 194

Politechnika Białostock

Systematic review on the evaluation criteria of orphan medicines in Central and Eastern European countries.

BACKGROUND: In case of orphan drugs applicability of the standard health technology assessment (HTA) process is limited due to scarcity of good clinical and health economic evidence. Financing these premium priced drugs is more controversial in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region where the public funding resources are more restricted, and health economic justification should be an even more important aspect of policy decisions than in higher income European countries. OBJECTIVES: To explore and summarize the recent scientific evidence on value drivers related to the health technology assessment of ODs with a special focus on the perspective of third party payers in CEE countries. The review aims to list all potentially relevant value drivers in the reimbursement process of orphan drugs. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed; PubMed and Scopus databases were systematically searched for relevant publications until April 2015. Extracted data were summarized along key HTA elements. RESULTS: From the 2664 identified publications, 87 contained relevant information on the evaluation criteria of orphan drugs, but only 5 had direct information from the CEE region. The presentation of good clinical evidence seems to play a key role especially since this should be the basis of cost-effectiveness analyses, which have more importance in resource-constrained economies. Due to external price referencing of pharmaceuticals, the relative budget impact of orphan drugs is expected to be higher in CEE than in Western European (WE) countries unless accessibility of patients remains more limited in poorer European regions. Equity principles based on disease prevalence and non-availability of alternative treatment options may increase the price premium, however, societies must have some control on prices and a rationale based on multiple criteria in reimbursement decisions. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of orphan medicines should include multiple criteria to appropriately measure the clinical added value of orphan drugs. The search found only a small number of studies coming from CEE, therefore European policies on orphan drugs may be based largely on experiences in WE countries. More research should be done in the future in CEE because financing high-priced orphan drugs involves a greater burden for these countries

Civil society and its role in the creation of democracy

The article presents the issues connected with the creation of civil society. The author discusses the role of the state in the support of the development of civil society on the example of Poland. He also presents the evaluation of civil society in Poland on the example of the development of non-governmental organisations

The concept of restructuring and regional development of Poland’s Eastern border

Henryk Sasinowski - profesor w Katedrze Zarządzania Produkcją na Wydziale Zarządzania Politechniki BiałostockiejSocial and economic regional development depends much on the political as well as economic system of a country and consequently, on regional policy. It is regional policy aimed at regional and local innovation and grassroots movement, that stimulates development and the activation of resources. What generates mobility of local authorities is interregional (governmental) and intraregional (local) policy towards the regions. Location and environmental conditions make it necessary to extensively restructure the Eastern regions of Poland, based on the concept of balanced development and economy founded on knowledge. The preferred pro ecological directions of development are: ecological agriculture, eco- and agritourism, rational forestry, water management, physiotherapy, phytotherapy and modern technology industries. Therefore, there is a good chance to activate the degraded resources of the Eastern border region, resulting in the development and improvement of living conditions for its population.Politechnika Białostock